The fourth story in our alert carries the tragic story of a young USIC locator called Joe Zephries who was struck by a car and passed away. Our condolences are with his loved ones. There’s a GoFundMe fundraiser which you can find here. National Underground Asset Register could be opened for wider use: READ 🔗 Bad Weather Isn’t Enough …
VHS | DIRECTIONAL DRILLING IN FLORIDA
“Aaron visits Earthview in Melbourne, FL to see one of their directional drilling projects where they are installing 40,000 feet of water lines. The purpose of directional drilling is to install underground utilities without disturbing the surface. Directional drilling can be used to install these utilities under roads, train tracks, interstates, etc. Earthview is a women-led company that’s headquartered in …
10 X 25 = REDUCING DAMAGES
A few years ago Geoff Zeiss and Dr. Sakura Shinoaki wrote a white paper called Reducing Damage to Underground Utility Infrastructure during Excavation. In it they outlined ten main topics and concluded with 25 recommendations 25!! This was a hefty piece of research and expertise rolled into one, that sought to challenge the status quo in damage prevention and draw …
UA / ISSUE 77
Welcome to our first Utility Alert of 2024, let’s make this year safer than the one before. Utilities Can Reap the Rewards of Resilience – READ 🔗 ‘The 5 billion-dollar mile’: Bulldozers at the ready for 23 acres – READ 🔗 Forging Forward in Damage Prevention – READ 🔗 Pre-Plan for Success – READ 🔗 Federal funding for Virginia to …
VHS | HOW TO START AN EXCAVATING COMPANY
This week we’re haring a video from Nate Jones on how to start your own excavating company – Land Clearing, Basement Digging, Excavating for Foundations, and Excavating utility work!In the video he covers 5 main points: Costs and Equipment, How much you can make, Downfalls, Legal Set Up, and Getting StartedGive it watch and get inspired!RECENT POSTSJan. 24, 2025VHS | …
PRE-PLAN FOR SUCCESS
Utility locating is one of the most pivotal elements in ensuring safety, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness in project execution. There are several key considerations which are often overlooked during project pre-planning that I think would help improve project timeliness and ultimately reduce damages. Unveiling the nuances of 811 and private utility locators unveils critical insights pivotal for a secure and robust …
FORGING FORWARD
As we step into 2024, we’re once again met with fresh challenges and opportunities in damage prevention. The past year’s experiences have illuminated the path toward greater safety, innovation, and collaborative progress within the industry. Building upon the foundations laid and acknowledging the evolving nature of damage prevention, it’s time to chart a course for 2024 – a year dedicated …
REFLECTING ON 2023
Here are some of the biggest stories which impacted the industry from the last year… JANUARY Mark Brennan shared his decision to exit the utility locating industry after two decades of service. Working in a large city in upstate New York, he specialized in locating various utilities, including water, sewer, drainage, and electrical lines. In his insightful account, Mark highlighted …
VHS | LOCATING WITH 3D VISUALIZATION
This week we’re haring a video from our friends at Screening Eagle.”Before any digging or drilling takes place, detecting and mapping buried utilities like pipes and cables is crucial. See how the team at Site Vision Surveys inspects the subsurface to detect underground utilities and visualizes them in 3D – in real-time using the GS8000 subsurface mapping system with an …
DETECTIVE WORK IN DAMAGE PREVENTION
I was speaking to the owner of a small locate firm recently and he told me that he almost exclusively hires former police detectives. Hopefully I’m not unveiling his big secret to the world but he seemed pretty enthusiastic about how detail and goal oriented they could be. In the world of damage prevention and utility locating, the unexpected connection …